The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-13
AT THE WRECK.
Efforts to Clear the Track-Charges of Neg
Ngence Aeainst the Railway Ohicials.

Efforts to Clear the Track-Charges of Neg
Hgence Against the Railway Omcials.
CHATswoRTH, Ill, Aug AT o'clock this
morning Master Mechanic Warren. with q
wrecking train and large force of men, were
at work. Warren was confident that the track
would be cleared for trains by They
certain that all bodies had been removed
from the wreck. A special with officials Of
the Wabash road reached the wreck early this
morning, and they rendered the use of their
wreckng outfit, and as well. offered to be oflany
service possible. The Illinois Central also
offered any required assistance. but Mr.. Warren
said he though. his present equipment would
enable him to clear the track.
President Leonard. Superintendent Arm
strong and other Toledo Peoria 6 Western Of
fcals were this morning. They have given
devoted attention to the relief of the injured and
care of the dead Both show signs of the terri
BILE shock which the accident has been to them
President Leonard said that, SO far the rail-
road officials could estimate there were about
eighty killed and one hundred seriously
wounded. There are manv who were slightly
injured of whom record has yet been OBJ
tanned A list is being compiled in the Peoria
Offices of the company. Mr.. Leonard said that
near as he could ascertain the train was max
ing about thirty miles an hour ct the
time of the accident-not excessive
rate OF speed the track in good
condition. The bridge, y, ordinary
ffteen-foo wooden structure. all right at
5 o'clock in the afternoon, when train passed
over it. and half an hour later the section men
inspected it. under orders in advance OF the
cursion train. 1t was all right then. AS to the
liability of the company, or future of the road.
the president, Mr. Leonard, could not say.
The first thing the officials will do will be to de-
vote their attention to the care Of the unfortun-
ate victims. It blow which would, OF
course. be most serious to the road, but that was
nothing compared with the death and injury TO
human beings. Mr.. Leonard said he could, in
all conscience. say that he believed the road had
provided every reasonable and customary safe
guard
There were very little stimulants or, in fact,
medical appliances or assistance of any kind
the ground. A from Piper City, whose
name could not be learned, brought demijohn
of whisky, but the railroad people seem to have
done practically nothing. Men from Chats
worth who worked all night at the wreck, were
refused passage on the train gong back to the
village, and had to tramp home in a half faint
ing condition for bite to eat. It seemed to
take the railroad four hours to get an engine
ready to drag car to from the village, and
the only persons allowed to ride were railroad
officials. The people here are very
bitter against the railroad company
and say that the officials. whether
from the decentralization or excitement, or from
absolute pig headedness acted most inhuInanly
in many cases. and treated the wounded most
shamefully all round. In fact, they did not
treat the wounded at all. but left them to the
care of volunteers. There was nothing to hinder
the officials running trains back and forth, east
ward TO Gilman and westward to Chatsworth
all through the night, carrying away the
wounded and bringing back supplies but moth
ing of the kind done. The whole thing
was piece of stupidity that allowed prairie
fires to rage all along the line. and took no
precautions to see that the bridges were not
burned. It is probable that investigation
will result in holding some of the officials Grim
inally responsible for the disaster. The fact
that fires were raging all around there was
known TO every body; the fact that the dry
prairie grass grew right up to the line was. or
should have been, known to the officials, and the
fact that the wooden treste-work across the cul-
vert was burned by the until it was as in
fammable as tinder was also known, or should
have been. II ordinary precautions had been
observed. the accident would not have occurred.
burning at least two hours before the train
arrived.
The news of the disaster arrived at Chats
worth about forty min utes after its occurrence
The peaceable residents of the little town
suddenly awakened by an alarm which was rung
from all the alarm boxes in the
town. In a few moments everybody was on his
or her feet, and people were running through |
the streets from all directions. all inauiring |
where the fire was. When the actual facts
were learned another alarm followed. which
was soon vigorously re-echoed by the bells of all |
the churches in town The people made rush
for the road to Piper City DR.. Vaughn. of
Chatsworth, was almost the first to appear at the |
scene. He was by reporter, and told |
briefly what he saw. ''When 1 arrived, found |
there the greatest confusion" he said. "Hell |
itself could not present more horrible picture
men and women fighting with death and ready |
to clutch at straw to be saved. One held |
his dead wife and little child in his arms,
while his own feet were broken and fastened in
the wreck. relieved the unfortunate of his /
burden and helped to drag him out and bring !
him to sleeper One of the greatest misfort-
uDes was the fact that the wreck took place al I
most in desert 1t was impossible to accord /
the wounded sufficient assistance. There were
no am oulanees-nothing to carry them on They
the great number of people who succumbed to
their pains
iremarshal Henry H. Game of Chatsworth,
says he was the first to arrive at the scene II
had no time to observe anything that transpired
around me-" he said Myself and my entire
force were working like beavers all the time, and
in the course of half an hour we had thirty-three
people-kii,ed and woundet-dragged out of the
debris. -Four cars were standing the track.
and the only thing know about them is that l
carried wounded men and women there"
The estimates OF dead this morning about
the same as the figures sent last night The
;oroners list, revised up TO the time the inquest